An investigation is underway in Idaho after officials said a baby girl was found deceased in a “safe haven” box earlier this month.
On October 13, Blackfoot police responded to the Grove Creek Medical Center amid reports of a dead baby in a safe haven box. While Twin Falls police have taken over the death investigation, KIFI reported that the deceased girl’s family was eventually located and the body was turned over to them.
Safe haven boxes are intended for parents to anonymously yet legally surrender their newborn at designated locations, which are typically near a hospital or fire station. The boxes are climate-controlled but allow air circulation so the baby can breathe. Equipped with motion sensors, 911 is called when the box is opened and closed. The box also automatically locks once closed and can only be opened from the inside of the building that it’s attached to.
Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said in a statement that medical staff immediately responded to the alarm and retrieved the deceased baby from a bassinet in the box within a minute.
Kelsey said the baby girl was “wrapped in a blanket with the placenta still attached.” She also claimed it was evident the infant had died long before she was left in the box.
“Let this be clear: this is an illegal, deadly abandonment. Anonymity is only allowed when an infant is safely surrendered completely unharmed,” she said.
East Idaho News reported that the Blackfoot safe haven box opened in July, marking the first in the state. It is unclear whether criminal charges will be filed in the case as an investigation is ongoing.
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